Denny Hamlin believes he would have been treated differently by NASCAR when he was fined if he was a Hendrick Motorsports driver. / Stew Milne, USA TODAY Sports

by Nate Ryan, USA TODAY Sports

by Nate Ryan, USA TODAY Sports

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Denny Hamlin said he gave up on pursuing the appeal of a $25,000 fine because he felt as if he already succeeded in the court of public opinion.

"We won in the (judgment) of the people, in their opinion," Hamlin said after Sprint Cup practice Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I think some of (my) peers, at least the ones that have a backbone, had the nerve to stick up for what they know is right and wrong (and) agreed.

"What was the point in going another week or so? We've got bigger fish to fry than argue over what I said just for $25,000. It's better just to move on and let NASCAR get its credibility back, and they're going to do that. I'm going to move on and just focus on the championship."

NASCAR penalized Hamlin last week for allegedly disparaging its racing when he said after the March 3 race at Phoenix International Raceway that the new Generation 6 car wasn't as good yet as the previous iteration in being able to complete passes.

Hamlin said he had multiple conversations with NASCAR chairman Brian France and left a meeting before Sunday morning's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway "on the same page.

"We had a lot of the same ideas," he said. "In hindsight I really believe they overreacted, and I believe that they think they overreacted once they thought about it a little bit."

Hamlin said NASCAR didn't consult him before issuing the penalty, making it a double standard from typical treatment of its superstars.

"If I was Jeff Gordon or Tony (Stewart), Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. or any Hendrick driver, they would have had a conversation on me before (the fine)," said Hamlin, who also was fined privately by NASCAR three years ago for voicing his opinion on debris cautions. "Just to slap the fine on me and not tell me anything is what really, really bugged me. A lot. That felt like I had not earned my place in this sport, and I've grinded it out here for eight years, and I really feel like I've done what it takes to earn the respect of both my peers and NASCAR.

"I feel like had I been somebody else, the outcome may have been different."

Hamlin said he wasn't disappointed that there wasn't an outpouring of support from other drivers because "everyone wants to stay on NASCAR's good side. That ultimately plays a lot of what you hear in interviews, and 90% of what you hear on a weekly basis is just guys trying to stay on NASCAR's good side. There's very few that really give the honest and true opinion."

Hamlin maintains he won't pay the fine, which NASCAR will deduct from his race winnings. The satisfaction of that stance, coupled with the risk of impairing his team's performance through the distraction of an appeal hearing, was enough to convince the Joe Gibbs Racing driver that he made the right call.

"To keep it going on through an appeal just to prove that I'm right, I don't need to prove it," he said. "I feel like everyone knows we were right. I can give you 100 interviews that were way worse than mine for the last few seasons that nobody said anything about. I think they were very, very sensitive about this car. This is their baby.

"What I was most frustrated with is it's not even the opinion I have. I like the car. I think the car is better. That's me giving 100% honest truth. I was more frustrated with the tire we were on than anything. That's the part that frustrated me is it put me on an island feeling like I was bashing the car when it's definitely not how I felt."

NASCAR had the option of suspending Hamlin rather than garnishing his earnings to satisfy the fine.

The Chesterfield, Va., native said he warned sponsors and the team that he was prepared to take the suspension rather than pay.

"Everyone was behind me to do whatever I wanted to do," he said.

If he could have handled it differently, Hamlin said he might have discussed it privately with NASCAR officials and plans to continue "voicing my opinions to them on what we need to do to make it better."

He might be more reticent when asked his opinion by the news media, though.

"I think as long as I can give 100% honest answer and not get in trouble, I'll answer the question," he said. "If I know my answer can have repercussions, I'll refer to no comment.

"Probably it really won't affect anything as far as my season. I think that after my conversations with NASCAR, we are of the same opinion of what happened. I'm in their good graces. I feel good about them, they feel all right about me. I think it should be smooth sailing from here on out. I don't think it will affect anything on the race track."